Source code may be written in an environment known as a coding environment. Examples of coding environments include source code editors, debuggers, integrated development environments, and modeling environments. Coding environments may provide tools or features that simplify the task of writing source code. For example, some coding environments provide syntax highlighting, debugging, autocomplete, and bracket matching functionality.
One task performed in coding environments involves changing the identifier associated with an entity, such as a variable or a function. Such an identifier may be, for example, a variable name or function name. Because such entities may be instantiated multiple times, it may be necessary to change the identifier associated with multiple instances of the entity to effect the change throughout the code.
Conventionally, variables may be renamed in code using a find and replace feature. For example, a tool may be provided that searches the code for instances of a string and changes these instances to another string.